Hi Erin,You won't need to pack anything warm! It will be pretty hot from September to February. Just pack stuff for the beach.Difficult to say about accommodation costs - there's something for every budget, but you get what you pay for.

You might want to bring some warms clothes - Melbourne can have 4 seasons in a day, although it probably will be warm to hot.

I pay about AU$95/week rent in a two bedroom house 30 minutes from the city. The trendier the suburb, the more you will pay, and the closer to the city, the more you will pay. Your best bet if you want to stay close to town is to find people to share with to split the costs. I know some people rent out places with 5-8 people and pay less than I do. I would say you could pay anywhere from AU$65-$150/week depending on location, number of people sharing etc.

Just a tip - the eastern suburbs are the most expensive. The suburbs to the west and north of the city ie. Brunswick, Collingwood, Essendon etc. are cheap, but can be dodgy.